CinderChi-Chi
by Kinake Hitashi
Summary: A parody of Cinderella, and guess who plays the lead!


Cinderella's Ball Z

Kinake Hitashi

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. That credit can be given to Akiri Toryama (I probably spelled his name wrong…)

          Once upon a time, there was a young man who lived with his loving wife and daughter. They were a content family with naught a care in the world. Until the man's wife died.

          After that, the man married again, but his health was deteriorating due to the heartbreak of losing his first wife. After his death, the estate was put in the hands of his second wife, and the young daughter was made a slave in her own house.

Three years later… 

          "Chi-Chi! Come here! You did a terrible job on my dress!" came a voice from somewhere in the large house. A young girl ran as fast as she could down a hallway, stopping at a big, wooden door.

          "Yes, Launch? I'm here." she said, meekly.

          "You did a poor job washing my summer dress! I demand you wash it again and again until I say it's clean. And I have a very high standard for clean."

          "Yes, Launch…" she started to sulk to the washroom, but another voice stopped her.

          "Chi-Chi! You call these sheets _clean_? I can still see the dust rising off of them! Clean them at once, and while you're at it, bring me some tea!"

          "Yes, Pan. I apologize for my laziness…"

          She trotted off, leaving her stepsister behind to gripe about stuff. The cat, Puar, ran across her feet, nearly tripping her. _I swear,_ she thought, _that cat's as bad as my sisters._

          She had just started to scrub the cloth in the washtub when a high-pitched scream rang through the entire premises.

          "Chi-CHI!!!! Where are you?!"

          "Coming Step-mother!" she called back. She started to dash up the stairs, and came to a halt, out of breath, in front of a woman with straight, blue-ish green hair. She had a cross look on her face and scowled at Chi-Chi. "Yes, Step-mother?"

          "What _are_ you doing?"

          " I was just…"

          "Stop with your backtalk, child! Your sisters want to play tennis, go set up the courts for them, and hurry. They're not patient people."

          "Yes, Step-mother." she hung her head as she scooted out to the courtyards.

Meanwhile, at the castle… 

          An extremely large man sat at an ivory table, looking very out of place among his servants, who were all under five-and-a-half feet tall. He was reading a letter, and was obviously excited by what was written on it.

          He stopped one of his servants, "Did you hear?"

          "Hear what, Sir Ox King?" the servant replied.

          "My son, Goku, is coming home! After all these years!" he ran through the castle, shouting out his joy.

          "There shall be a ball held in honor of his return! Send the invitations to every single woman in the kingdom!"

          "Why, your Majesty?" asked one of the servants.

          "It's simple, really. If Goku does not marry by his eighteenth birthday, which is in two weeks, we'll have to forfeit the kingdom, and I don't want that to happen." the king explained.

Back at the farmhouse… 

          The knock came suddenly and without warning. Three big _BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!_'s that echoed through the various chambers and corridors of the ancient building. Chi-Chi ran to answer the door.

          "Yes, how may I help you?"

          "Proclamation from the king!" said the message boy, shoving the white envelope with the king's symbol stamped in wax on the back. He then rushed back to his carriage, presumably on to the next house next house.

          _Hmm, I wonder what this could be? Better take it to Mother, so she won't get mad at me for opening it. Gee, what would the king want with us?_ She wandered up the stairs to where she knew her sisters and mother were practicing vocals.

          Chi-Chi had to plug her ears as she neared the choir room. _Vocals,_ she thought, _they sound more like banshees._ She swallowed her pride and stepped into the room, and just as she did, Bulma hit a sour note.

          "Chi-Chi! Why did you do that? You know I need my concentration… oh, what's that in your hand?"

          "Well, I don't know, exactly… All I know is that it's from the king…"

          "The _king_!" both her sisters rang out at once. They immediately started to rush Chi-Chi and snatch for the letter. Bulma grabbed it before they could rip it to pieces.

          "Hmm… uh, huh… I see… yes…" she said as she read.

          "What is it, Mother?" Pan asked impatiently.

          "Patience is a virtue, Daughter. Keep your head. There will be a ball…"

          "A ball?" all the girls gleamed.

          "… and all eligible young women may attend. It seems the king is looking for a _bride_ for the young prince, who's coming back from his crusades. Well, I know one of my girls is going to inherit royalty. Quick, girls, we have one week to prepare. Chi-Chi! Where are you girl? Oh, there you are. Start construction on new dresses for all of us."

          "Yes, Step-mother, but…"

          " 'But' what, child?"

          "Well," she stared hard past her mother, "the invitation says that all single women may attend, and I was just thinking that _I'm_ single…"

          "And you want to go, hmm?"

          "Well, yes. I was just…"

          "Quiet, girl. You can go, _if_ you can manage to get a dress for yourself to wear, and still have _ours_ ready."

          Chi-Chi's eyes lit up with excitement, "Oh, don't worry, Step-mother, I'll have the best dresses that you've ever seen! Oh, thank you!"

          "Yes, now start making our dresses, before I change my mind."

          Chi-Chi ran off to her private quarters to begin production of the "perfect" dresses. She couldn't help but skip when she was out of site of the others.

Again, at the castle… 

          The Ox King looked on in great detail at the decorations for the ball. He wasn't impressed with what he saw.

          "These banners just aren't working. Say it with me, 'streamers.'"

          "Yes, your Highness." the caterer bowed and sped away to inform the decoration committee.

          _Goku never liked banners; he was always a streamer type of guy. _thought the king. _I hope he likes the effort I put in to this._

**Somewhere in the country…**

          Goku was riding the Nimbus cloud on his way back from wherever it is he was coming from. He had a big smile on his face and was patting his gut at the thought of the warm dinner awaiting him. He had no idea what was in store for him…

**At the farmhouse…**

          It had been five days since the annunciation of the Prince's Ball. Chi-Chi had almost finished all three dresses, as well as the designs for her own. It would be simple, yet she thought that was all she would need. She didn't expect the prince to choose her over one of her beautiful sisters, or any other girl in the kingdom, for that matter.

          Launch had requested a dark forest green color, having the lacey frills in lime green. It had a flower embroidered on the left shoulder, a single rose, red and shining. She also had fixed up a pair of white gloves that came up to the elbows.

          Pan's dress was similar, except it was red and the flower was embroidered in a black thread. She also had a red sash along her waist.

          Bulma's was by far the most elegant. It had frills from here to eternity. It had so many frills, there were frills _on_ frills. It was a beautiful blue, a shade that perfectly matched her hair. It had a high neck set with a turquoise stone, increasing the beauty.

          As she finished the final touches, she tied the thread off and took a look at her designs. The dress was white with a pink rose still on the stem, offset by a pink border around the neck, sleeveless sleeve things, and base. _I know it's not as beautiful as the others, but it's the best I can do with the time I have left. I just wish that I could find something… better to do with it. But what?_

          Just then she remembered about the pink sash Launch had thrown in the scrap basket the other day, "I _refuse_ to wear such an atrocious piece of cloth!" she had yelled loud enough for the animals to get riled up over all the noise.

          She ran over and dug through the tattered remains until she found what she was looking for. _Hmm… now_ this _would go perfect with some sort of necklace… ah ha! I know… Pan through one out last month. I'm just glad that I managed to save it before the trash man came._ Again, she found herself rummaging. She pulled out a gold necklace with a heart-shaped stone attached to it. _Perfect!_ she said as she tried it on.

**At the castle, yet _again_…**

          "Father! I'm home!" Goku called through the game room.

          "Goku! My boy! I'm so glad to see you here! How are you? You must he hungry after your long trip. I'll have the cook send us something." he snapped his fingers to summon their dinner.

          "Hey, Dad, before we get started, why are their streamers all over the palace? I don't think they were here when I left…" he crossed his eyes and struggled hard to think of the day he left.

          "That's because there weren't any son. We're going to have a ball at which you will choose your bride!"

          Goku spit his food out all over his father, "WHAT??? What'd'ya mean, 'choose my bride???' I don't have any idea what to say to you! Ooh… I go away for five years and find out that I have one day to get married! Ughh… I can't stand it. Why don't I ever get to hear about these things? Don't answer that question." he glared angrily at his father. _Oh, well. I guess it can't be helped, now._

"So, what do I have to do?"

          "All you have to do is dance for a little while, and then have your pick of any girl in the kingdom."

          "Ok, I guess I can handle that…"

Farmhouse… 

          "Oh, I just love this dress Chi-Chi made! It fits me perfectly!" Pan gazed at herself in the mirror. Launch was doing similar.

          "Yeah, I think this is the best dress I've ever had. I have to give her credit for this, she can make good clothes."

          Chi-Chi chose this time to make her entrance. She started to slowly descend down the stairway, calmly taking her time.

          "I'm ready…" she called meekly.

          Launch, Pan, and Bulma all looked at her, stunned. Launch was the first to gain speaking abilities.

          "Hey, that's my sash! How dare you take it! And Pan, isn't that your necklace around her neck?"

          Pan squinted hard, intent on making Launch's point, "It _is_! You little thieving wretch!"

          "But I…" Chi-Chi started in her defense, but it was too late. Her sisters had already started to tear at her, ripping her dress to shreds. They left her in her undergarments, shaking from the strain not to cry.

          "Oops, guess we went too far." Launch laughed. They stepped back out the door, and Chi-Chi watched as the escort pulled out a Dino-Cap and tossed it, making a limousine appear.

          As soon as they were gone, she broke down and started crying rivers. Her sobs were replaced with coughs as a cloud of smoke surrounded her.

          "Aah… who's there?" she peered through the smoke and ash at whoever it was that had appeared.

          "How come I get stuck with this job?" she heard a brash voice come out of the smoke. "I always get suckered into these gigs."

          As the smoke cleared, she saw a man wearing a pink dress. He was taller than her, considerably, and black hair that stuck up as if he was suffering from a bad case of static shock. On his hands there were white gloves that looked like they were used for pilots. His feet were dressed with boots that looked the same.

          "Um… who are you?" asked Chi-Chi, not wondering whether to be scared or amused at the intruder.

          "I'm Vegeta. Don't say a thing about the dress, it wasn't my idea. It's part of the job description." he seemed cross. "I'm your fairy godmother, and I've come to help you go to the ball."

          "You have? Oh, thank you so much. But, how do you plan to do that?" she asked skeptically.

          "Ok, first you're going to need a few of the basics," he counted off on his gloved fingers, "A horse and carriage, a dress, and some shoes. Now, where can we find a suitable carriage?"

          "All I have is this cookie jar. Will it do?"

          "I suppose so. I was hoping you had a _real_ coach already, but we can't all be pleased, now can we?" he said to no one in particular.

          He started to wave his wand around in circles around the cookie jar. It grew bigger and bigger until it was the size of a _really big_ cookie jar. It's shape started to change, too. Soon, it was an elegant white coach with golden-rimmed windows on the doors.

          "Now for the horse…" Vegeta mumbled. Before Chi-Chi could utter a word, he grabbed the passing Puar and smacked him with the wand. He turned into a gleaming white horse with a little feather cap. Vegeta reined him to the coach, placing it like a master.

          "Great! Now, let's do something about those rags you're wearing."

          He started to wave his wand back and forth across her face, and each pass made her gown more beautiful and comfortable. In the end, she was dressed like a queen. "I suggest you don't go mud-wrestling, because getting the stains out of that thing is torture." said Vegeta, crossly.

          "I'll be the driver, so we don't have to worry about that. Now, the ground rules. You can't stay out longer than midnight. Don't ask me why, it's just regulation. You can't tell anyone that I did this, or else I'll have everybody on me asking for wishes or whatnot. That, too, is against regulations. The other fairy godmothers wouldn't appreciate that."

          "Is that all? I thought…" Chi-Chi started to say.

          "Don't think. It's bad for your health." he snapped back.

**At the ball…**

          Goku yawned as he was introduced, one by one, to the present girls. Oh, how he wished he could go fishing.

          Just then, something caught his eye. Out of the corner of it, he thought he say a girl of such beauty that it was unimaginable. There! He saw her again.

          "Hey, Dad, I'm gonna go for a second."

          "Alright, just be back soon."

          He followed the girl into the garden, where she stopped on the bridge. She sighed dreamily. He decided she hadn't seen him. He stepped up silently.

          "Hello. I'm Goku." he said.

          She nearly fell over the rail. She fixed herself and straightened a few loose strands of hair.

          "Oh, you scared me. My name is Chi-Chi. Can I ask you something?" she was still cracking from the surprise.

          _Oh, no! Here we go. I can here it all now, 'Are you the prince?' Oh, boy…_

          "What is with your hair? Do you use gel, or is it just naturally like that?"

          Goku fell over in shock. _That wasn't expected._ he thought.

          "I don't know what happens. It just stays like that. Always has." _She must not think I'm the prince. Good. The less she knows about me the better._

          Somewhere, off in the distance, a figure in a pink dress floated above the trees. His wand was waving back and forth, and from the pure air itself, music was radiating for only the two garden figures to hear. He watched in satisfaction as the two started to sway back and forth in each other's arms. _Well, it looks like my work here is done._ he thought, a smug grin on his face.

          "So, Goku, do you know the prince?" Chi-Chi asked.

          "Oh, I know him a little better than you think. In fact, he's probably so close, he can hear our every word." he said, non-chalantly.

          "Do you really think so?"

          "Oh, yeah. In fact, Chi-Chi, there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

          "And what's that?"

          "I'm the…" BONG! BONG! BONG! the clock hard started to chime, surprising the both of them and causing them to look.

          "Oh, my! It's midnight! What happened to the time?" Chi-Chi cried.

          "I don't know. Guess we danced it away."

          "I have to go now, but I hope we can meet again." she started to run as fast as the silken slippers on her feet would carry her.

          "Wait! Chi-Chi! Where are you going? How will I find you?" Goku cried after her.

          "I don't know! Maybe it's better if you don't!"

          "But I love you!"

          "I love you, too! Keep me with you always!"

          She sped to her carriage, hopped in, and had the driver go off as fast as he could, but leaving behind a silk slipper…

**The next morning…**

          "Oooh… I wonder who that girl at the ball was. She looked a lot like Chi-Chi, but she couldn't have been. She was far too beautiful and well dressed." Launch was pondering.

          "Yeah," added Pan, "And I didn't see the prince at _all_."

          Just then, Chi-Chi stepped into the room, humming the tune that had played in her head the night before. Launch and Pan looked at her suspiciously.

          "I wonder…" Pan whispered to her sister, "could she _really_ be the one…"

          "I don't know, but let's not take any chances. You heard the prince, 'I have chosen, but she ran away before I could tell her. I will only marry the one that ran. Problem is, I forgot what her name was…' I say we lock her up until the duke comes."

          "Right! The storage room upstairs. No one will ever notice her there. No one notices her, anyway."

          They snuck up right behind her and grabbed her. Gagging her and tying her hands behind her back, they dragged her up the steps, kicking and attempting to scream the whole way.

          As soon as they came down the stairs, the knock came at the door. Upon opening it, the duke rushed in, stating the proclamation. He announced the rules and what should happen if they qualified. Not that they needed that part, anyway.

          As the other daughters tried on the slipper, to no avail, Chi-Chi stood, helplessly, waiting for the departure. Suddenly, she heard a whisper at the door.

          "Hey, are you still in there?" it was a familiar voice.

          "Vegeta? Oh, good, you can let me out of here? And hurry, quickly."

          "Hold on, woman. I can't let you out right now."

          "Why not? I mean, if you're my fairy godmother, then you're supposed to protect me and stuff."

          "Yes, yes, yes. I understand. It's not that I'm mean… ok, so maybe a little, but that's beside the point. I'm doing this for dramatic effect. I have to wait until the duke's about to leave, and then I free you and you can try on your shoe." he explained it like it was written somewhere.

          "I guess so…" Chi-Chi said, confused.

          Downstairs, Launch and Pan had both failed. Bulma was trying to urge the duke on.

          "Are you sure there are no more ladies at this residence?" he interrogated.

          "Just me and my daughters, I assure you, Sir."

          "Well then, I suppose my job here is done."

          "Now stand aside!" Vegeta yelled, "Unless you want this to be the last time I look out for you."

          Chi-Chi stepped away from the door, and not a second to late. She heard Vegeta's fist contact with the door, which promptly fell into splintered pieces.

          "Oh, thank you, Vegeta! I'll never forget this!" she rushed to him and kissed him on the cheek.

          "That's great, now go! Marry yourself a prince, and live a happy life. I don't care, anymore. I'm done with this job." He didn't want her to see he was blushing, his cheeks as pink as his dress.

          "Well, if there are no other young ladies, then I'll…"

          "Wait! I'm here! Don't forget about me! I want to try on the shoe!"

          "I say, who was that?" the duke sounded surprised.

          "Oh, it's no one, your grace. Just…"

          "Madame, it sounded like someone. Someone female to boot. And my orders are to try the shoe on _every_ maiden. Now, please, if you will."

          He moved toward Chi-Chi, his steps long and sure. He kneeled beside her and lifted her foot. He moved the shoe towards her foot, paying no attention to the mild odor radiating from it.

          The slipper fit perfectly. Bulma, Launch, and Pan stared in shock. The duke took Chi-Chi's hand and led her towards the coach waiting outside. As they walked down the path, her ragged clothes transformed into the beautiful gown she had worn the night before.

          _Thank you, Vegeta, wherever you are._ she whispered to herself.

**At the castle. For the _last_ time!**

          "Your Highness, we have found the young lady. She will be shown into your quarters and will wait for you there." a servant lad with a purple-haired bowl cut addressed Goku.

          "Very good, Trunks. You can have the rest of the day off."

          "Yipee!" the boy skipped off to whatever it was he was doing.

          A young woman sat shyly in the prince's room. She had questions running through her mind like mad. _What if he doesn't like me? What if he thinks less of me because I'm just an ordinary girl? What if…_ She didn't have time to finish, as Goku walked into the room.

          "I take it you're Chi-Chi?" he said to the girl.

          "You remembered… my name?"

          "Actually, no. I had to be reminded. But that's beside the point."

          _A lot of things are beside the point, anymore._ she thought crossly.

          "Well, what I want to say is…"

          "WAIT A SECOND HERE!" Chi-Chi blared, "You mean to tell me that _YOU'RE_ the prince??? I spent hours dancing with the _PRINCE_??? I think I feel faint."

          "Sorry 'bout that. I meant to tell you, but you ran off too soon. I feel like such a big rat. Well, what I _want_ to say is that when I was dancing with you, I forgot about all the other girls, all the other _people_. I think that's what they call 'love', but I'm not sure…" he began to scratch his head.

          "You big lug," Chi-Chi began to laugh, "It is love. I feel that way about you, too. It's kind of weird, 'cause I've never felt like this before. I just hope you won't love me any less when I tell you that I'm just a commoner…"

          "Of course not. I'd love you whether you were wealthy, commoner, or broke, with not a penny to your name. I want you to be my bride. I want to ride into the sunset hand in hand in a horse-drawn carriage, man and wife. I want to…" but he couldn't finish. Chi-Chi had stopped his speech with a kiss. A long, passionate, true kiss. A kiss for the history books.

**At the wedding…**

          Chi-Chi ran down the steps of the palace. She jumped in and climbed across the seat. Goku was close behind her.

          "Where to, your Royal Majesties?"

          "To England, Goten! Whales! We're going on our honeymoon!" Goku yelled.

          Vegeta watched with a tear in his eye. He had seen the whole thing, and had been waving his wand in small circles. In the sky, behind the castle, fire works went off in clusters. He could see them ride off, happy as children.

          "Good luck, you crazy people. I wish you both happy lives."


End file.
